THE KILLING OF THE GREY BEAR 175 



looming, I was no equestrian, and much preferred my 

 own feet. 



When we noticed the route narrowing we looked 

 to the packages on the mules and ponies, for un- 

 less these were close and compact there was a danger 

 of some chance rocky projection catching the cargo, 

 and in the struggle for freedom the laden animal would 

 lose its balance and fall over the precipice. 



It is strange that a mule, a sententious creature in so 

 many ways, shows such poor judgment always in the 

 choice of a path. They are such astute travellers over 

 any sort of country, but in the selecting of it display 

 no discrimination at all. 



None of our men did much in the porter line, and 

 grumbled mightily at a load of more than twenty 

 pounds ! I wonder what the Chinaman would say to 

 this, with his 120 lbs. burden carried ungrudgingly for 

 hours and hours. 



The wind at this altitude was never in the 

 same mood for ten minutes together, but it was 

 glorious tur country, and we saw any number. Ali, 

 however, would hear of no halting, and goaded us on 

 remorselessly. He had brought us out to shoot his 

 particular corrie, and hunt it we should. 



That evening our henchman went out from camp on 

 his own, and bagged an ibex doe with his ancient muzzle- 

 loader. The horns were very cracked and small, and its 

 throat was gashed from ear to ear — fit food for True Be- 

 lievers. The men roasted the creature on sticks, over 

 an infinitesimal wood fire, and ate semi-raw lumps of 

 meat until far into the night. Such luxuries as forks 



